The Google Chromebook has been making waves in fields like education, but the next big thing for the company is in the corporate world, which is dominated by Microsoft's Windows.
To attempt to break into this industry, a Chromebook built by Dell has been unveiled that costs between $400 and $900 and boasts specs that are a significant step up from those offered on other, lower-cost Chromebooks.
"Our latest Chromebook offering is designed for the mobile professional, and provides customers with an unrivaled Chrome experience which mixes the cost and simplicity benefits of Google's chrome portfolio with Dell's commitment to design," said Kirk Schell, Dell vice president and general manager for commercial client solutions, in a statement. "Not only does the solution offer customers a superior mobile working experience, but with the availability of Dell's leading security, management and ProSupport Plus service, it is also easy to integrate into wider device ecosystems."
The Chromebook 13 includes, as the name implies, a 13-inch display, which is available as either a touchscreen or regular screen, with IPS technology for wide-angle viewing and Gorilla Glass for protection. The body of the computer is aluminum and magnesium. Under the hood, the computer can come with either an i3 or i5 processor, and there are options for up to 8 GB of RAM.
For a price of between $400 and $900, the Dell Chromebook 13 bridges the gap between lower cost Chromebooks and the high-end Chromebook Pixel. The computer will be available starting Sept. 17.
Google has been working with manufacturers to create Chromebooks ever since 2011, with Chrome OS, the operating system developed by Google, being designed to be very lightweight and rely mostly on Internet-based apps and services. What this means is that the computers themselves don't necessarily need as much onboard storage, but they do need to have an Internet connection most of the time to be used to their full potential.
This isn't the first time that Dell has partnered with Google in the creation of a Chromebook. Previously, the company has been involved in the Chromebook 11, which boasts an 11-inch display and is targeted toward students and schools.
Chrome OS will continue to be developed under Google despite the massive shakeup that the company recently underwent, creating Alphabet Inc. as its parent company. Google will be a little more streamlined and will focus on the company's core and Internet-based products such as Search, Chrome, Android and so on.
